Depth-indicating device



H. W. KENG DEPTH INDICATING DEVICE Emm 5 1922:

Filed Dec. 18, 1922 lwveufoz ml'oz me 1:19

Patented July 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,634,427 PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE W. KING, OI ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 KING-SEELEY CORPORA-IION, 0] ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN,

A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

DEPTH-INDICATING DEVICE.

Application filed December 18, 1922. Serial No. 607,658.

The invention relates to depth indicating devices for liquids and refersparticularly to that t e in which a column of liquid is displaced byair, the pressure of which is indicated upon a suitably aduated pressuregage. The main object 0 the invention is to provide a liquid depthindicating device with a relief passageway whereby the foreing orwithdrawing of the indicating liquid from the pressure gage is avoided.Another object is to provide a relief tube in communication with the airchamber through which liquid may be forced at a lower pressure than thatrequired to force the indicating liquid from the pressure gage. Furtherobjects of the invention reside in the novel features of constructionand combinations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter setforth.

In the drawings:

The figure is a sectional elevation of a system including a liquid depthindicating device which embodies my invention.

In the present instance my liquid depth indicating device is associatedwith a gasoline tank and vacuum tank of a motor vehicle, although it isevident that the device has many other uses.

1 is the gasoline tank and 2 the vacuum tank. 3 is the air chamber ofthe depth indicating device and 4 low the air chamber and communicatingtherewith through the restricted opening 5 in the intermediate wall 6. 7is the air tube opening into the feeding chamber near its lower end andextending above the level of the gasoline, the upper end of this airtube being open. 8 is the suction tube opening into the feeding chambernear its lower end and extending above the level of the gasoline andconnected to the vacuum tank 2. 9 is the pressure tube opening into theair chamber at its u per end and extending above the level of t egasoline and connected to the pressuregage 10. y

The air chamber 3 communicates with the gasoline within the tank 1through the opening 11 in the intermediate wall 6, the air and feedingchambers being laterally offset. The feeding chamber 4 also communicateswith the gasoline within the tank'through the opening 12 in the lowerend of that portion of its side wall located below the air chamber. Asuitable screen 13 is rovided for inclosing that space opposite t thefeeding chamber be e feed.

ing chamber and below the air chamber so that sediment is prevented fromentering the openings lland 12. The tubes 7 8 and 9 are fixedly securedto their respective chambers at their lower ends. and also to the capplate 14 at their upper ends as by solder. The tubes 8 and 9 aredetachably connected to the vacuum tank and pressure gage respectively.

To draw air through the air tube 7 and into the feeding chamb'er4 and atthe same time to draw gasoline through the opening 12 into the feedingchamber when the vacuum tank 2 is in operation, the relative crosssectional areas of the air tube 7, openings 12 and 5, and suction tube 8are such that both air and gasoline are drawn in directly by suction.The opening 5 is restricted so that any gasoline drawn through thisopening from the air chamber 3 is negligible, but this opening issufliciently large to ermit of the upward dpassage of air WlllCl istrapped in the fee ing chamber upon the terilriiination of operation ofthe vacuum tan With this arrangement, a portion of the air drawn intothe feeding chamber 4 during the operation of the vacuum tank passes outwith the gasoline through the suction tube 8 and a portion remainstrapped in the upper end of the feeding chamber. Upon the termination ofoperation of the vacuum tank, the entrapped air passes up'through therestricted opening v5 displacing any gasoline which may have collectedin the air chamber 3, the surplus air gradually escaping through theopening 11.

With the construction as thus far described, the sudden filling of thetank 1 with gasoline causes an excess pressure within the tank. Whenthere is excess pressure in the tank, an excessive amount of gasoline isforced through the holes 5 and 11 into the air chamber 3 and this excessgasoline produces an excessive pressure within the air chamber, which isliable to blow the indicating liquid out of the pressure gage. Also, theindicating liquid might be blown out of the pressure gage whencompressed air is forced into the gasoline tankrto blow out A sedimentor the like from the gasoline her and the vacuum tank continues eration.

For the purpose of preventing the blowing of the indicating liquid fromthe pressure gage when rapidly filling the tank 1 with gasoline orblowing out the gasoline pipe line, as well as preventing the drawing ofthe indicating liquid from the pressure gage when the air chamber isabove the level of the gasoline in the tank and the vacuum tank is stillin operation, I have provided the relief tube 15 having an open lowerend in communication with the air chamber 3 near its lower end andlaterally offset from the restricted opening 5. This relief tube isfixedly secured to the top of the air chamber as by solder and extendsupwardly through the cap platela and is fixedly secured thereto as inop.-

. by solder. The upper end of the relief tube has the plurality ofopenings 16 located above the cap plate 14 and also has the smallopening 17 located below the cap plate to place the interior of the tankin communication with the atmosphere. A suitable cap 18 is secured tothe top of the relief tube and has a depending annular flangesurrounding and spaced from the wall of the safety tube and terminatingat a point below the plurality of openings 16 to protect these openingsand prevent the entrance of dirt, water, etc., into the safety tube.

\Vhen the liquid depth indicating device is provided with the relieftube 15, there will always be a small amount of gasoline in the bottom'of the air chamber 3 sufficient to seal the end of the relief tube. Withthis construction when air bubbles up through the hole 5 this air willforce an e ual volume of gasoline out through the iole 11. The surfaceof the asoline in the safety tube must always be tie same level as inthe tank, since each is subjected to atmospheric pressure, and thebottom of the relief tube communicates with the gasoline in the tank.

When the liquid depth indicating device is provided with the relief tubeand upon the sudden filling of the gasoline tank, an excessive amount ofgasoline is forced into the air chamber, thereby increasing the pressuretherewithin. However, when the pres sure has become suflicient, theexcess gasoline will escape through the relief tube 15. The maximumpressure whichwill occur in the air chamber is that required to forcegasoline out of the top of the relief tube and is less than thatrequired to blow the indicating liquid from the pressure gage so that asa consequence, the operativeness of the pressure gage is not affected,although a very small amount of gasoline is lost. Also, this arrangementpermits of forcing air under pressure into the tank to blow out anysediment or the like from the gasoline pipe line without forcing theindicating liquid from the pressure gage.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a depth indicating device for liquids, the combination with an airchamber closed at its upper end and having an opening communicating withthe liquid to be measured, of means for automatically introducing airinto' said chamber, said air introducing meanscommunicating with saidchamber at sub-; stantially the same level as said chamber communicateswith the liquid, a pressure" gage, means whereby said gage is connectedwith said chamber and communicates with the air contained therewithin,and means 7/ forming a relief passageway communicating with said chamberat substantially the same level as said chamber communicates with theliquid and extending from the chamber to above the level of the liquid.I 2. In a depth indicating device for liquids, the combination with anair chamber, a gauge, and a connection between said gauge and airchamber, said air chamber havin an opening communicating with the liquidto be measured, of means for automatically introducing air into saidchamber, and a tube extending into said chamber, said tube having aportion above the level of the liquid to be measured open to theatmosphere and its lower end extending into the air chamber I andprovided with an opening at a point below the communication of the airchamber with the gauge, said tube having its outlet to the atmospheresufficiently greater than the inlet opening for the liquid into saidchamber to prevent a change of pressure in the air chamber sufficient totransmit damaging'pressure to the gauge. 4

3. In a depth indicating device for liquids,

the combination witlr an air chamber, a gauge containing an indicatingliquid, and a connection between said gauge and air cham her, said airchamber having an opening communicating with the liquid to be meas'-ured, of means for automatically introducing air into said chantber anda tube extending into said chamber, said tube having a portion above thelevel of the liquid to be meas 'ured open to the atmosphere and itslower end extendinginto the air chamber and pro-: vided with an openingat a point below a the communication of the air chamber with the gauge,said tube serving as a relief tube for the air chamber through whichliquid may be forced at a lower pressure than that required to force theindicating liquid from the gauge. I

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HORACE W. KING.

